China's Hunger for Fish Upsets Seas

Reach of Massive Fleet Cuts Into Stock, Tests Ties on Opposite Side of the World

By

Chuin-Wei Yap And

Sameer Mohindru

Updated Dec. 27, 2012 7:25 p.m. ET

China's growing hunger for seafood is testing relations with other countries and worrying foreign officials and scientists over the potential damage its massive fleet could do to global fishing stocks.

In the latest example, Argentina said on Wednesday that it had captured on Monday two Chinese fishing vessels that it said were illegally fishing in its waters. Officials said Argentina's coast guard boarded the ships after firing...